In the past, one method for manufacturing phenol and cyclohexanone called first for the hydroalkylation of benzene to form cyclohexylbenzene, the cyclohexylbenzene in turn being oxidized to phenylcyclohexyl hydroperoxide, the phenylcyclohexyl hydroperoxide then being subjected to acid catalyzed cleavage to form phenol and cyclohexanone. Although this prior method produced phenol and cyclohexanone in reasonably adequate quantities, there is a continuous search for improvement in yields and selectivity therein.